Libya MPs call for foreign intervention to aid civilians

TRIPOLI - A majority of Libyan MPs voted Wednesday to call for foreign intervention to protect civilians amid chaos in the North African country as rival militias engage in fierce clashes, a deputy said. Parliament, meeting in Tobruk in the east, adopted "by 111 of the 124 deputies present a resolution calling on the international community to intervene quickly to protect civilians in Libya, including Tripoli and Benghazi", Abu Bakr Biira told AFP."The international community must intervene immediately to ensure that civilians are protected," he added, quoting from the resolution. He did not elaborate on what the parliament expects from such foreign intervention. The parliament, elected on June 25, has been meeting in Tobruk between Benghazi and the border with Egypt, because of the violence plaguing both of Libya's main cities.Since mid-July, the country has been rocked by deadly inter-militia fighting for control of key facilities including Tripoli's international airport.Benghazi in the east, Libya's second city, has also seen battles between Islamists and the forces of a renegade general.Since the fall of long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, the interim authorities have failed to establish order and security in a country prone to anarchy and deadly violence.They have been unable to restrain a large number of militias formed by ex-rebels who fought Kadhafi and who still hold sway across Libya.On Tuesday, hooded gunmen shot dead Tripoli police chief Colonel Mohamed al-Suissi in the eastern suburbs and abducted two of his bodyguards before later freeing them.